Brake beam and safety support



y 1949. E. J. SIMANEK 2,475,158

BRAKE BEAM AND SAFETY SUPPORT Filed Aug. 27, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jaw/Z2 07; maize! cj jmizek July 5, 1949. E. J. SIMANEK BRAKE BEAM AND SAFETY SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 19-47 Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRAKE BEAM AND SAFETY SUPPORT Application August 27, 1947, Serial No. 770,876

14 Claims. 1

This invention relates to brake beams for railway car trucks and more particularly to truss type brake beams which are preferably of a composite or fabricated type.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a brake beam comprising a truss structure including tension and compression members, and a brake head member mounted on each end of said structure wherein one of said members is provided with a portion extendin longitudinally of the beam and outboardly of the head for cooperation with a safety ledge on an associated truck side frame to prevent the beam from dropping to the ground in the event of failure of the hangers supporting the beam.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a brake beam of economical design and construction, wherein the parts are so arranged and connected as to afford an extremely rigid 'structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brake beam of the type described wherein the brake heads are afforded a seat against the associated end of the tension member and against a vertical wall of the compression member to afford a desired rigid connection therefor.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the specification and the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of one form of brake beam constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the portion of the brake beam shown in Figure 1 with a conventional hanger applied thereto and a portion of a side frame shown in transverse vertical section to illustrate the relationship between the beam and a safety ledge on the frame;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 2 with a portion of the frame broken away to more clearly illustrate the cooperation of the various parts;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of another form of my brake beam;

Figure 5 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 2 illustrating in front elevation the brake beam shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of still another form of my brake beam; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to that shown in Figures 2 and 5 showing the beam illustrated in Figure 6 in front elevation.

Describing the invention in detail and referring to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the brake beam, generally indicated 2, is of truss type comprising a cambered U-section compression member 4 having a substantially vertical front wall 6 and integral spaced generally horizontal top and bottom webs or walls 8 and Ill extending rearwardly of the front wall from the top and bottom edges thereof, respectively. Adjacent each extremity thereof, the front wall 6 is provided with a longitudinally extending slot or opening 12 disposed substantially medially between the top and bottom edges of said front wall.

A round bar tension member l4 of uniform cross section throughout its length has at each extremity thereof a bent end I6 extending generally parallel to the adjacent portion of said front web 6 of the compression member and being snugly fitted into the associated opening [2, the end being so positioned in said opening 12 that the longitudinal center line of said end is disposed approximately in the vertical plane of the forward surface of the adjacent portion of said front web, as may be readily seen in Figures 1 and 3.

To provide a rigid connection between the tension and compression members 2 and I4, each end N5 of the tension member is secured to the front wall 6 in any convenient manner, preferably as by welding.

At each end of the beam is mounted a brake head, generally designated l8, comprising an arcuate front wall 20 to which is secured a brake shoe 22 by a key 24 in the usual manner.

Intermediate its ends the wall 20 is provided with a hanger socket 28 (Figure 3) for the reception of a loop hanger 39 adapted to afford support for the beam in the conventional manner from the side frame 32 (fragmentarily shown in Figures 2 and 3), as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Top and bottom substantially vertical ribs 34, 34 are connected to the wall 20 and to an intermediate portion 35 (Figure 3) forming said socket 28 and to vertically spaced horizontal top and bottom Webs 38, 38 extending rearwardly of the ribs 34 and portion 36 and defining with the rear extremity of said portion 36 a recess or cavity 40 (Figure 3) therebetween for the reception of the associated end ll; of the tension member and adjacent portion of the compression member. It will be noted that the rear extremity of the portion 36 is formed with a recess 42 affording a complementary fit for the portion of the tension member protruding forwardly of the compression member front wall 6 in the region adjacent said head, the outboard end of the tension member end It and recess 42 being terminated inboardly of the outboard side of the head, as may well be the center line of said end being disposed in the seen in Figures 1 and 2, so that the front Web 6 plane of said web, top and bottom webs integralof the compression member is afforded a novel 1y formed with and projecting rearwardly from three point contact with the rear extremity of sai front w b, b ak h ad m mbe ith top the portion 36, that is, outboardly of the end 5 and bottom walls embracing said top and bota d above and below said end respectively, Said tom webs and secured thereto rearwardly of said front Web 6 seating flat against said rear extremtension member end, a brake head member wan ity of thevportioni36p as best seenin 1ii'gure3. wmmectirgg aid i and batt a'q and The head is*secured to:-the compressiommember Tug engagement-with Said f ontweb above and by rivets 44 and 46 connecting respectively the below and outboardly of said tension member end, top Web 8 of the compression member with the said connecting wall having an arcuate socket retop web 38 of the brake head andlthepbottomweb .waiving,,saidwtension member end and bearing 33 of the brake head with thewettom Weblo of against the surface thereof disposed forwardly the compression member of-csaidfront web,'.-a hanger socket in said con- It will be understood thatmormailyarth zzbnake w evwaulforwardly of the first mentioned beam is supported from the truck by the hangers. Socket, and a projection on one of Said members To prevent the beam from in-999mg todthegmmm veexteruzling zo'lzitbciandly of the outboard extremities in the event of hanger failure, the compression of the other members for cooperation with an asmember of the beam has a portion 48 atzeachtend Sociated Safety 1edge thereof extending outboardly of the associated 2' A truss type brake-beam comprising a iheadifort-coopenation with a eonventional'rsafety ttion ,wmpressmntmemberwith a{f 0nt;Wefb-Qhav .ledgeilldisposed therebelow' and; formed on the tinguan; approximafiely..centmi ,slotextendim; mm iadgiacent :S-idB :fIamafiZ r 'integnal wWithf thettension .e w u an 1, therefy was bensimn v v M. Awith .238 imemheP-"M*thelieefdthe ledgetextehdihglateral round-section end welded-fimsaid slotfithe -verti- 1.1Minwardly-r01?salidwsiflei fmmel'and being of "cal: center iinewf said ei-1d= being uis eseu dn the t-cientylengthi to snpportrthe ,beampthron-ghout the plane @f saidiwbimp ,amihbotwm' wbslintegrna l entire r movement. :thereGf 5 longitudinally 50f the 11 g d ;With, d -',progectin.g" q earwarjdqly itrueleiandcbeing,oft-sufiicient width torpreventathe a fd-jfr.ent-,ziweb i i m heademember withttw .beamifromszmov-ing-longitudinal1y Off {the ledge. nde WanSJembpacin-gwadd tophandybottmn Ream/am movementiQfehelbeeim is limitedzby :3 webs and secured thereto:rearwardly'of said ten- ;nbutmentofzthe beamvwithitheatruck bolster (not @1011, end, afi bpgke iheafli member 511 ishowh) a connecting-said topa-andxbottom wails and having tln a-Ei ures 4 .eand ::5, 1a cmodification JiS"3S]-1UWI1 "engagement with .gsafd iyfmnt Web ,abovegand I kin Jwh-ichiall .thegpahts :areethe esame as sshown in 3 as am gb ememiber Jena .esgfdi'cgnne'cf ing Ei unes a l w exception-that wall having an arcuate soektvreeeiving-saiditenthe compless-iommember-ilterminatesmtltheeoutsion mgmb r cendqa n d bearing iagain t=th 2,5111- ;izboard; sidemfvtheqbnake i'la'iandatheitension twee;thereof ,mspuse-d..-forwarmy (ifs-said frontzweb .member: '4 has; aisportdonrflwextending-ioutboard- ,ywhanger-gogkeb inzsa'fidwcgnnegfinwg allfgpwafd- Ofxtherass ci fl iertcuape'rationvwibhithe i'yvo'f the first mentiorred soeket; and-wprojection iledgefiuiin'the fiveiltmfv banger faflllle- Accomon one of said members extending outboardly rit iingly, :the --'I0rrgiti1dimal:es10=t i I'Z [.Lill theafront axwa'll :thee ut xt m i if t eeth members extends to the extremity of the comprfissivn for cooperationwith an associatedsafetyledge. A member-.- wall t fieandttheirecess =12 eextends rtozthe 9:13; Aitm tme brake beQM' Gfnpfi inga U-zseereutboardiside of thehead. ition compressionmember -havinga front 'web'anii ailn-fiigunesefiiandflnstill another modificatiomis .4 )tgp '1: and e atm Walls :Lextendjng --rearwafdiy in h c PalllbhellmttsmTe-itheffiame fais therefrom, a -1ongltuiiinally extendingslot'in-safd shown in Figures 1 to 3 with the exceptionmhat, iwm am te a hextremity fof-said beam, a easiin the; modificationsshowm in'xFiguresAz-iand 5, r t gi member rhavin a bentend "at each-'exithe-eompress-ion,membemltterminatesziateachzend tremity thereof and fitt d into the associatedfsmt thereof iiiibpitoximatelyv a flush with zt-he; .;outboard 1 nandgeXten'djn-gasubsta'ntifijlya -a g to the ia side of theassociatedvhezngl,- and'that theivhottom centvpopbion. e a u w t longitudinal \wal1\-38-\ofithe head :tB-xcomprises a'rlugeorzportion center in thereof disposed approximately inlthe .Mlfl extend ng laterally w d ymf the head :vertical plane of the forwazd surf-ace of saidweb, :for cooperation with ttheiledge iinzzunderethezcirt is'b ake ihergfd egmpri'sing i rear-war'dl extending i-cumstancesrheretofaorerdescribed. The "lug 1 f UU -is spacedwwebs" receiving-an en'd -of sa-id tension ireiniorcedcby aaribiliflzi-fiormed onit'he atop siele memberaand assoeiateii portion *of=said'comprestthereof sand zextendingrediagonaliy from the *'out iSiOII member "therein and -connected to *said" top board edge of the lug I00 atatpoint intermediate and bottom walls -'-o'f -'said compression "member .theetorwardarad rearsedges rof :saicl' lug to the for- Land-seated: a/gainshsaid enddf said 'tension mem- .ward edge 1 ofrrthet lugmtzits (juncture :with :the ib-enandr:against saidifront'web, one 'ofsaidmem- :z'bottomiwebeb'ii nfzthe; headfthe 'ribimergingair its h sa i a 'p fid ne utward y of iinboard end=:with;theeoutboarkir si'de 'ofrthe head. said head member,for enga e ent withanasso- .-It.- is :to benunderstoodrthat iI: do snot z-w-ish- 'tohbe c at d y p limitedbyithe aexaeteemhoiiiments of the deviee In a ca t uek a side irame, a'brakebeam z-shown :whi-chiare merely by waybf illustration usecbion lf 'on' member comeand'lnotiiimitation asvariouseand other:forms m verticamrflntweb fi flp" nd bottom zofrthe-sdevice will,z'ofzcoiwsewe apparent?to those Walls extending y' t n'sion :skilled :J'n itheiarti without departing ,from the h eb i tely paral- -.spirit,of theinuentiomorttheascope of -the claims. 1 to saidiwebganiifitted into a siotin sai'd'we'b 1'70 and:conner'zted thereto, '-said'bentendhavingits I1. truss!typezbrakerbeamicomprisingai U-gsecsiongitudin'al center i-ine' disposed approximately .tion compressionrmemberiwithzazfrontmeb 'havin the plane of the forwazdsurface 'of sa d W jng, adong-jtudimhapproxinratlyqcentral-,s10t1a,d aaizbrake' head rmembersecured "to I sa-idtop and ia-cent: its end, :ra=:;tensiommemberwwithsa rroundm walls and compri'singaa hanger -sccket,-.-:a seetionrenwweldedstossaiidifront sweb inssaid slot, 35 ange e l rhne 'tthrou h said seeket "and adapted to support said beam, a projection on one of said members extending outboardly of said head, and a protruberance on said frame extending into engageable relationship to said projection for supporting said beam in the event of failure of said hanger.

5. A truss type brake beam structure comprising a U-section compression member with a front Web and top and bottom walls extending rearwardly therefrom, a slot in said web at the extremity thereof extending longitudinally in wardly of said extremity, a round bar tension member having its end bent substantially parallel to said web and extending into said slot with the longitudinal center line of said and disposed approximately in the vertical plane of the forward surface of said web, said end being connected to said web, a brake head secured to said structure comprising a hanger socket, said compression member terminating flush with the outboard side of said head and said end having a portion thereof extending outboardly of said head for engagement with an associated safety support.

6. A truss type brake beam comprising a truss structure including a U-section compression member with a front web and top and bottom walls extending rearwardly therefrom, a slot in web, a round bar tension member havin its end bent substantially parallel to said web and extending into said slot and connected to web, said end having the longitudinal center line thereof disposed approximately in the vertical plane of the forward surface of said web, a brake head secured to said structure comprising a hanger socket, said tension member terminatihg inboardly of the outboard side of said head and being received within a complementary recess in said head, said compression member extending outboardly of said head for engagement with an associated safety support.

7. A truss type brake beam comprising a truss structure including a U-section compression member with a front web and top and bottom walls extending rearwardly therefrom, a slot in said web, a tension member having its end bent substantially parallel to said web and extending into said slot and having a, portion thereof protruding forwardly of the front surface of said web, a brake head secured to said structure comprising a hanger socket and seated against said end and said front web, said head comprising a projection disposed below said compression memher and extending outboardly of said head for engagement with an associated safety support.

8. A brake beam having a U-section compression member comprising a vertical front web and top and bottom walls extending rearwardly therefrom, a tension member having an end bent approximately parallel to said web and fitted into a slot in said web and connected thereto, said end having its longitudinal center line disposed approximately in the plane of the forward surface of said web, a brake head member Secured to said top and bottom webs and comprising a hanger socket, a hanger extending through said socket and supporting said beam, and a projection on one of said members extending outboardly of said head for engagement with an associated safety support.

9. A truss type brake beam comprising a truss structure including a U-section compression member with top and bottom webs and a front wall interconnecting said webs, a slot in said web, a tension member having its end bent substantially parallel to said web and extending into said slot and connected to said web and having a portion thereof extending forwardly of the front surface of said web, a brake head member having a hanger socket and seated against said end and the adjacent portion of said front web and secured to said structure, and a portion on one of said members extending outboardly of said head memher for engagement with an associated safety support.

10. A truss type brake beam comprising a truss structure including a U-section compression member with a front web and top and bottom walls extending rearwardly therefrom, a slot in said web, a round bar tension member having its end bent substantially parallel to said web and extending into said slot with the center line of said end approximately in the vertical plane of the forward surface of said web, a brake head member secured to said structure comprising a hanger socket, and a projection on one of said members extending outboardly of said head for engagement with an associated safety support.

11. In a brake beam, a truss structure including a compression member comprising spaced webs and an intervening front wall with a slot therein, a tension member having an end bent approximately parallel to said wall and connected to said wall Within said slot, said end having a portion thereof extending forwardly of the front surface of said wall, a brake head member secured to said structure, and a projection on one of said members extending outboardly of said headmember for engagement with an associated support.

12. In a brake beam, a truss structure including a compression member with a front wall and a tension member having an end connected to said front wall, said end projecting at one side thereof forwardly of said wall, and a brake head so cured to said structure and buttressed against said end and along spaced areas, including an area outboardly of said end, against said front wall.

13. A brake head comprising a member having spaced top and bottom walls and an intervening wall defining a brake beam receiving cavity, a support lug extending outboardly of said head and connected to said bottom wall, and a reinforcing element merging with the top side of said lug and the outboard side of said member, said element extending diagonally rearwardly of said head from the forward edge of said lug to the outboard edge thereof.

14. In a brake head, a member comprising a brake beam receiving cavity, support means for said head integral with said member and extendmg outboardly thereof, and reinforcing means for said support means merging with the top side thereof and with the outboard side of said member.

EDWARD J. SIMANEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 714,779 Carnahan Dec. 2, 1920 867,184 Baker Sept. 24, 1907 1,346,765 Porter July 13, 1920 1,707,536 Nuetzel Apr. 2, 1929 2,254,514 Busse Sept. 2, 1941 

